Service difficulty report · Gearbox · Aerosp AS355F2

Difficulty date
May 24, 2019
Submitted
August 17, 2020
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Aerosp AS355F2
Aircraft time
10,284 hours
Engine
Allsn 250C20F
Part
Gearbox
Part number
355A32060003
Condition
Making Metal
Location
Main Rotor
Stage of operation
TX
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
J
Precautionary procedure
O

As reported to the FAA. Reports are unverified, and codes are left as the FAA publishes them.

What was found

(CAN) MAIN GEARBOX BEVEL REDUCTION (MGB) CHIP LIGHT ON AIRCRAFT STARTUP, AIRCRAFT GROUNDED. DURING STARTUP PILOT NOTICED, MGB CHIP LIGHT ILLUMINATED. PILOT SHUTDOWN, AND INSPECTED ALL MGB CHIP PLUGS. THE LOWER MGB CHIP PLUG CONTAINED A LARGE CHIP. A PICTURE OF THE CHIP WAS FORWARDED TO MAINTENANCE AND AIRBUS HELICOPTERS. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT DUE TO THE SIZE OF THE CHIP THE AIRCRAFT WAS GROUNDED, AND GEARBOX ASSEMBLY SHOULD BE REMOVED FOR INSPECTION BY AIRBUS HELICOPTERS. THE COMBINER GEARBOX, MAIN GEARBOX, EPICYCLIC REDUCTION, AND MAST WERE REMOVED AND RETURNED TO AN AIRBUS SERVICE CENTER FOR INSPECTION. THE MAIN GEARBOX WAS 79 HOURS AWAY FROM ITS 3000 HOUR OVERHAUL AT THE TIME THE CHIP OCCURRED. THE CHIP WAS SENT OF ANALYSIS. SDR TO BE UPDATED WITH TEARDOWN REPORT FROM MGB ASSEMBLY. (TC# 20190528012)

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